This invention relates to a novel method suitable for writing and/or erasing high density data on a media.
The instant invention builds upon concepts and assemblies disclosed in the cross-referenced applications. In particular, we reference IBM docket YOR920010062, which discloses a novel assembly suitable for writing data based on thermal coupling between the novel assembly and a storage media. To this end, the novel writing assembly in one embodiment recites:
1) a thermal heater for generating and directing an incident thermal wave to a media; and
2) a position controller for coordinating a mutual positioning of the incident thermal wave and a media for inducing a direct thermal coupling therebetween;
the assembly acting as a writer/and or eraser by operating the position controller so that writing and/or erasing can be enabled by using an information signal for modulating a localized thermal wave generated in the vicinity of a media.
This novel writing assembly has the important advantages of providing capabilities of writing information on a storage media at high speed and at a resolution which can qualitatively and profoundly transcend the delimitation of diffraction limited focused laser beam technologies. For example, this novel writing assembly can provide capabilities for writing information on a storage media, e.g., a phase-change media at high speed (e.g., greater than 0.01 MHz, illustratively 100 MHz) and, at a resolution such that there are storage densities larger than 1 Gbit/in2.
The present invention complements the novel writing assembly disclosed in the aforementioned YOR920010062, by disclosing a novel method for writing and/or erasing high-density data on a media, the present invention complementing the novel writing assembly in the two-fold sense that it can, one, provide the qualitative advantages and inherent capabilities of speed, resolution, and storage densities realizable in the novel writing assembly while, two, disclosing one important methodology for employing the novel writing assembly in an actual writing/erasing process.
To this end, accordingly, we disclose a method for writing and/or erasing high-density data on a media as a series of tags comprising an information bit pattern, the method comprising the steps of:
1) providing an assembly, the assembly comprising:
a) a thermal heater for generating and directing an incident thermal wave to a media;
and
b) a position controller for coordinating a mutual positioning of the incident thermal wave and the media for inducing a direct thermal coupling therebetween;
2) operating the position controller so that writing and/or erasing is enabled by coupling the incident thermal wave to the media;
and
3) using an information signal for modulating the localized thermal wave in conjunction with step 2).